REG NUMBER:U23PH1029

Reimagining Pharmacy in Africa: Nigeria’s Path to Health Advocacy and Reform

The long-standing perception of pharmacists as mere providers of medication rather than

Is the view of pharmacists as simple dispensers rather than health educators a result of
inadequate professional branding, or is it an unavoidable outcome of Nigeria's low health literacy
and prevailing distrust in the pharmaceutical industry?

In Nigeria, pharmacists are typically the most accessible healthcare professionals. For many
individuals, they represent the first point of contact within the primary healthcare system,
particularly when dealing with common illnesses such as malaria, typhoid, and the common cold.
Only 13% of the Nigerian population seeks treatment at public hospitals when unwell, as noted
by Dr. Faisal Shuaib, the Executive Director of the National Primary Healthcare Development
Agency.
According to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), 70% of
Nigerians depend on primary health care facilities, with pharmacies representing 50% of these.
However, the country lacks an adequate number of pharmacies to serve its population. With
nearly 3,800 registered retail pharmacies and a total population of 218 million, Nigeria has only
one retail pharmacy for every 57,000 people. In contrast, similar Sub-Saharan African nations
like South Africa (about 1 per 19,000), Kenya (1 per 15,000), and Ghana (1 per 32,000) have a
far better pharmacy-to-population ratio, indicating that Nigeria has considerable progress to
make in this area.
Similar to other African nations such as Tanzania, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Ghana, Nigeria has a
significantly higher concentration of pharmacies in urban regions. For instance, nearly 30% of
retail pharmacies are located in Lagos State, and 12% are found in the Federal Capital Territory
(FCT), while some states, including Jigawa, Yobe, and Zamfara, possess fewer than five retail
pharmacies each. Consequently, given these statistics, pharmacists serve as the primary point of
contact in Nigeria's primary health care system.
In many African countries, the role of pharmacists in promoting public health awareness and
advocacy is essential for educating communities about health issues, including antimicrobial
resistance. However, the widespread perception among the public tends to view pharmacists
merely as “medicine sellers.” This misunderstanding largely stems from the prevailing low levels
of health literacy in these regions. Addressing this issue requires ongoing public health
campaigns and proactive engagement from pharmacists themselves. While comprehensive health
campaigns may not reach every corner of society, pharmacists have the potential to connect with
over 70% of the population in Nigeria, significantly improving health literacy in the process.
Furthermore, various individuals and corporations have shown a keen interest in enhancing
information dissemination to local communities. A noteworthy development in this area is
mPharma’s acquisition of HealthPlus, which took place in September 2022. mPharma, a health
technology firm, aims to strengthen its impact in the healthcare sector through mPharma's
acquisition of HealthPlus is a significant event. In September 2022, mPharma, a health tech
company, acquired the majority stake in HealthPlus, one of Nigeria's largest pharmacy chains.
Rockson, the CEO and Founder of mPharma, expressed their goal of transforming community
pharmacies into primary care centers and expanding their pharmacy retail footprint in Africa.
Through integrating existing brands and tech platforms like mutti® and QualityRx, mPharma
aims to provide patients with primary care services and affordable medications through
HealthPlus retail chains.
Verod Capital also acquired a minority stake in MedPlus, a major retail pharmacy chain in
Nigeria, in March 2022. This investment will support MedPlus’s expansion plans, including
enhancing ancillary care services such as nutritional and wellness services.
Counterfeiting and adulteration are pervasive issues, with fake drugs easily accessible in the
market and even in licensed pharmacies. Differentiating between counterfeit and authentic
medications requires skill, efficient regulation, and drug analysis. Retail pharmacists, especially,
need to be cautious in sourcing medications to ensure they are dispensing genuine and effective
drugs. Therefore, pharmacist bodies need to implement necessary regulations and distinctive
features to address this problem.

Conclusion
The view of pharmacists in Nigeria as merely individuals who dispense medications—which is a
challenge also observed across Africa and, to a lesser degree, worldwide—poses a significant
obstacle to fully utilizing their roles as health advocates and clinical collaborators. This
perception is deeply rooted in cultural perspectives and systemic issues such as a low density of
pharmacists (with one pharmacy serving approximately 57,000 people in Nigeria, according to
statistics), unethical dispensing practices, and limited health literacy. Consequently, this
perception hampers pharmacists’ capacity to tackle crucial public health issues, including non-
communicable diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and disparities in healthcare access. Addressing
these challenges requires transformative strategies, including public health campaigns and
regulatory measures against drug counterfeiting.

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